


Do You Need a Hug, Professor?

by AceDelta12



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Bernadetta leaves her room, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Repressed, F/M, Hugs, Mental Breakdown, My Unit | Byleth Is An Emotional Wreck, My Unit | Byleth Needs a Hug, Suicide Attempt, Sweet, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:54:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27299791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceDelta12/pseuds/AceDelta12
Summary: Jeralt's death is tearing Byleth apart, and Bernadetta comes to the cemetery to mourn with her Professor.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Bernadetta von Varley
Kudos: 21





	Do You Need a Hug, Professor?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [achilleanvillain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/achilleanvillain/gifts).



Byleth felt miserable.

He slowly walked to the cemetery. When he arrived at his father's grave, he sank down to his knees.

"Hey Dad." Byleth managed, his voice choking up. "It's been three days now, ever since..."

He sniffled, and wiped is nose with his sleeve. "...ever since you were killed...ugh, that is never going to sound right... Well, I hope at least you and Mom are reunited and are spending all your time in heaven together...

Byleth wiped his eyes with his hands, but he kept tearing up. "Don't worry about me, I-I'll hold down the fort until we see each other again... I'll lead the students, just as well as I was before... I..."

His eyes squeezes shut as the first couple of tears started to fall. "I only wish you could've seen the graduation of my students..."

His hands started to twitch at his sides as his head dipped down. "I want you back... I want you back so bad... I know it's a selfish wish, but I can't help it..."

He opened his eyes again and peered through the tears at the grave. "I miss you, Dad..."

He heard footsteps on the stairs. He thought it was someone coming to one of the other graves, until the steps got louder.

Byleth closed his eyes, trying to hold his tears in.

"Hey, Professor..." he heard.

He opened his eyes, and was shocked to see Bernadetta standing next to him. "Y-You're out of your room..."

"I knew your father picked flowers for your mother, so I picked a few from the greenhouse to give to him..." Bernadetta said slowly. She set down the flowers on the grave and knelt down next to Byleth. After a few seconds, she turned back to him.

"Do you need a hug, Professor?" she asked him.

Byleth was in no condition to lie. "Yes..."

Bernadetta moved a bit closer and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm here for you, Professor..."

Byleth couldn't hold the tears back any longer. He embraced Bernadetta, sobbing into her shoulder.

Bernadetta rubbed Byleth's back as he cried. Inwardly, she realized the strange turn of events unfolding. Normally she was the recluse, the one that needed emotional support from Byleth. Now, **she's** the one giving the emotional support to **him**.

"It's okay..." Bernadetta softly said into his ear. "It's okay, you're going to be okay... I'm here for you..."

Byleth suddenly turned toward Bernadetta and kissed her lips hard, holding her body as close to him as possible. After a few seconds, Bernadetta kissed back.

It lasted for a minute, and then Byleth slowly pulled his head away. "I'm sorry, Bernadetta... I shouldn't have done that."

"No, it's okay, Professor." Bernadetta said. "You don't have to apologize."

"I **do** have to apologize." Byleth insisted. "What the hell was I thinking, making out with someone--one of my **students** , no less--in front of my father's grave?"

He stood up. "I'll be going now."

He ran away from the cemetery, leaving Bernadetta still kneeling in front of Jeralt's grave.

"Forgive him, Mr. Jeralt..." Bernadetta said to the grave. "He hasn't been himself since you left us..."

Byleth slammed his dorm room's door shut and flung himself onto his bed. He was done.

He stared at the ceiling, mulling over what he had done and what he was going to do. Obviously, turning back time to try and save his father again was out of the question. Sothis would outright refuse, and even if she allowed it, too much time had passed to go back to that point.

Maybe he could ask Rhea to bring his father back to life. After all, Byleth was born dead, and here he is.

He shook his head. Not only was Rhea busy 24/7, but he didn't think Seteth would let her.

Maybe he could scour the library and find something to restart Jeralt's still heart.

He shook his head again. If the library did have such things, everyone would know about it.

Maybe he could work with Those Who Slither In The Dark to-

He slapped himself, forcing himself to stop entertaining that thought. Never in his life would he work with the very same organization that killed his father.

Byleth closed his eyes and groaned. He was out of ideas and felt like he was out of time.

Maybe he could end it all and throw himself off the Goddess Tower.

He sat up and repeated the thought he just had. He could throw himself off the Goddess Tower.

He'd be reunited with Jeralt. He could finally meet his mother. He'd never have to suffer again.

His decision made, Byleth stood up from his bed and headed up to the Goddess Tower.

When he arrived, he stood at the stone railing, making sure the courtyard was below.

He put his foot up on the stone railing and looked down at the ground one last time before he propelled himself off.

Before he could leap off, he felt someone tug on his overcoat.

"Professor?" he heard. "What are you doing?"

Byleth took his foot off the stone railing and turned around.

It was Bernadetta again. She was holding a white cat in her free arm.

"Does it matter to you? I'm just going to be replaced when I finish."

"But it won't be the same." Bernadetta said, pulling her arm back to hold the cat properly. "I'll miss you so much...I don't want the only person I ever opened up for to be gone..."

She glanced at the cat in her arms. "I... I brought this cat to you, to try and help you feel better..."

She set the cat down on the floor, and the cat looked up at Byleth and meowed.

Byleth slowly got down on one knee and reached out his hand to stroke the cat's head. It closed its eyes and started purring.

He suddenly felt a pair of lips on his cheek. He turned, and Bernadetta covered her face with one hand and looked away.

Byleth's arm slowly reached out and pulled Bernadetta closer to him.

"Do you need a hug, Professor?" she asked.

"Yes, I do..." Byleth said, and he wrapped his arms around Bernadetta.

After a few minutes, Byleth pulled his head up, looking at her.

Bernadetta moved her head closer to his, stopping just before their lips touched. "I enjoyed the kiss you gave me earlier..." she said. "I know that a teacher loving his student isn't the most normal thing in the world, but...if two people love each other, it doesn't matter, right?"

She softly kissed Byleth's lips, bringing tears to the Professor's eyes.

She broke the kiss. "If you really do feel like that about me...I'll risk it..." Bernadetta said with a smile. "I'll risk everything to help you be happy again."

"Bernadetta..." Byleth said. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Bernadetta put her head on Byleth's shoulder. "You needed a hug."

Byleth hugged Bernadetta again.

He smiled. "I love you, Bernadetta."

**Author's Note:**

> I sincerely apologize for the rather lackluster way the oneshot ended, but I just couldn't think of anything good, so I ended it there. I hope you enjoyed it!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Book of Bernie](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27879390) by [AceDelta12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceDelta12/pseuds/AceDelta12)




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